Agile project management software: the best of 2024

Agile methodology has revolutionized the way teams manage and execute projects. It has enabled teams to adopt an iterative approach, fostering greater flexibility, encouraging rapid feedback, and allowing for immediate adjustments when necessary. But the magic of Agile doesn’t just happen; it requires a robust system to orchestrate its many moving parts.

This is where Agile project management tools step in, providing the much-needed structure and making project organization possible. These software systems are integral to effectively implementing Agile methodology, facilitating the ‘fail fast, learn faster’ philosophy, and turning it into a reality. Read on to discover the best Agile project management tools to leverage in 2023.

What is agile project management software?

Agile project management software is a category of application tools designed to support teams who follow the Agile methodology in project management. Unlike traditional project management tools, primarily built to facilitate a more linear and sequential process, Agile project management software embraces change and encourages continuous improvement and flexibility.

The distinguishing characteristic of Agile project management software lies in its capability to manage fluctuating priorities and frequent changes. It provides real-time visibility into the progress of tasks and facilitates collaboration among team members. It allows for the breakdown of tasks into smaller, manageable components and supports iterative work cycles, known as ‘sprints.’ These unique features make Agile project management software indispensable for teams striving to maintain agility and adaptability in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.

Zenhub

Agile is Zenhub’s bread and butter. Built for software teams, agile methodology has inspired much of Zenhub’s design and features. In 2023, this includes not just the run-of-the-mill tools you find in agile software like Kanban boards and story pointing – it also comprises of agile AI tools that streamline and speed up agile processes.

Zenhub’s agile toolset is practically endless; from sprint planning to planning poker to AI-generated sprint reviews, Zenhub makes the agile crowd a happy one. 

With that in mind, Zenhub goes beyond a lot of agile tools capabilities by actually trying to help your team get better. With Insights and Recommendations right in your reporting suite, all those agile metrics will actually become useful (for once!).

Fun fact – Zenhub got its start as a GitHub plug-in, and its seamless integration with GitHub is still one of its biggest strengths regarding developer ease of use. Seriously, there isn’t a single agile feature in Zenhub not also available in GitHub, which is pretty cool.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 5/5

Developer ease of use: 5/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards and issue tracking
• Epic and story hierarchies
• Story pointing
• Planning poker
• Automated sprint planning
• AI sprint reviews
• Daily stand-up summaries (Daily Feed)
• Roadmaps
• Agile reports including velocity reports, burndown charts, release reports, cumulative flow and control charts, etc.
• GitHub Integration
• Milestone tracking

Psst – we did a blog on the Best AI Project Management Tools if you’d like more AI project management options. Also, if you’d like to try Zenhub, here’s a 14-day free trial.

JIRA Software

It was tempting not to include this one here because if you’re searching for agile tools, you probably already know Jira and are looking for anything but (it seems Jiritation is real). But for the sake of thoroughness, here she is in all her glory.

Yes, JIRA is very popular in the Agile community, primarily for its customizability, how it caters to Agile project management and software teams, integrations, reporting capabilities, and perhaps because it’s been around so darn long.

It should be noted that there is a reason Jira has so much “stick” in larger organizations – it’s a complex tool that requires expertise to facilitate. Organizations often need dedicated Jira admins and Scrummasters to enable the teams’ use of the tool. 

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile 5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 2/5

Developer ease of use: 3/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards and issue tracking
• Epic and story hierarchies
• Agile reporting and metrics
• Story pointing
• Epic and story hierarchy
• Sprint planning
• Roadmaps
• Agile reports, including sprint reports, burndown charts, velocity charts, release burndowns, etc.

Nifty

You might not have heard of Nifty, but it’s a hidden gem in the agile software niche. So, what’s so Nifty about Nifty?

Nifty provides a fresh take on Agile with its user-friendly interface and robust features, making it a standout among Agile project management tools. Designed keeping in mind the needs of Agile teams, Nifty offers powerful collaboration features like discussion threads, document sharing, and in-app messaging, which foster team communication and allow real-time exchange of information.

Nifty offers all the fundamentals of Agile, including roadmaps, agile reports, and sprint planning. These tools provide valuable insights into your team’s performance and help identify bottlenecks, allowing for more efficient planning and execution of future sprints.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4.5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 5/5

Developer ease of use: 4/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards and task management
• Interactive milestone roadmap
• Agile reporting, including burndown charts, velocity charts, cumulative flow diagrams, etc.
• Collaboration features such as discussion threads and in-app messaging.
• Milestone tracking

ProofHub

ProofHub finds its strength in simplicity without compromising on the essential features expected from an Agile project management tool. It is known for its intuitive interface and the ability to incorporate Agile practices smoothly into the workflow.

ProofHub’s diverse features include Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and custom reports, which cater to the needs of Agile teams, making task management and tracking progress easy. With the added benefit of in-app discussions and chat, ProofHub successfully facilitates communication and collaboration within teams.

In a nutshell, ProofHub delivers a balance of simplicity and functionality, making it an optimal choice for those seeking an uncomplicated yet effective Agile project management tool.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 5/5

Developer ease of use: 3/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards and task management
• Gantt charts for project planning and scheduling
• Custom reports for agile tracking
• Milestone tracking

ZohoSprints

ZohoSprints is Zoho’s agile project management system. It is a user-friendly and intuitive tool that offers all the essential Agile features, including customizable Kanban boards, sprint planning, story pointing, and reporting.

One of its standout features is the ability to integrate with other Zoho products like Zoho CRM and Zoho BugTracker. This integration allows for a seamless flow of information across different teams and promotes efficient communication.

ZohoSprints provides a comprehensive view of the team’s progress through its interactive dashboards, providing valuable insights for future planning and decision-making.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 5/5

Developer ease of use: 3.5/5

Agile features list:

• Scrum boards
• Sprint planning with customizable templates
• Agile reports, including sprint reports, burndown charts, velocity charts, etc.
• Backlog

ClickUp

ClickUp is a relatively new player in the agile project management scene, but it has quickly gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and robust features. It offers customizable task boards and Agile reporting metrics for better project tracking.

One of ClickUp’s unique features is its ability to create customizable statuses, which can be used to track tasks as they move through different stages of completion. This feature provides an easy way to visualize progress and identify any bottlenecks. ClickUp also offers a variety of integrations, including Slack, Google Suite, and GitHub, making it a versatile tool for team collaboration.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 4.5/5

Developer ease of use: 4/5

Agile features list:

• Task boards
• Sprint planning
• Roadmaps
• Dashboards and sprint reporting

Codegiant

Codegiant is a project management tool designed specifically for software development teams. It offers all the essential Agile features, including Kanban boards, issue tracking, and sprint planning. But what sets Codegiant apart from other tools is its focus on streamlining the development process.

With Codegiant’s built-in Git integration, developers can easily track and manage code changes directly from the platform. Additionally, its seamless integration with project management tools like Jira and Trello allows for effortless collaboration between teams.

Codegiant also offers agile reporting features such as burndown charts and sprint reports to track team progress and identify potential issues.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4.5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 4/5

Developer ease of use: 4.5/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban board
• Roadmaps
• Burndown charts
• Sprint planning
• Git integration for code tracking

Trello

Trello is a popular project management tool that offers a simple and intuitive interface. While it may have some of the advanced features of other tools, Trello’s simplicity makes it an ideal choice for smaller agile teams.

Trello’s signature Kanban-style boards make task management effortless, allowing team members to track progress and assign tasks in a visually appealing way. Its integration with platforms like Slack and Google Drive also promotes seamless collaboration between team members.

Additionally, Trello offers agile reporting features such as burndown charts, making it easy to track progress and identify any issues that may arise during the sprint.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 3.5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 5/5

Developer ease of use: 3/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban-style boards (agile template available)
• Calendar view for tracking deadlines and milestones
• Plug-ins called “Power-ups” (these are often paid extensions, but they may allow you to add agile functionality like Roadmaps/Gantt Charts, story points, etc.)

Shortcut

Shortcut, formerly known as Clubhouse, is a popular agile project management tool that offers a variety of features to streamline the development process. Its customizable Kanban boards and story pointing system make it easy for teams to track progress and collaborate on tasks.

One of Shortcut’s standout features is its ability to create epics, which are large-scale projects that are broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This feature allows for better organization and planning within the team.

Shortcut also offers robust reporting features, including burndown charts and velocity tracking, to help teams monitor their progress and make data-driven decisions.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4.5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 4/5

Developer ease of use: 4/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards
• Story pointing system for estimating tasks
• Epics and Milestones
• Cross-project burndown charts and velocity tracking. Endless integrations (including but not limited to Slack, GitHub, etc

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a project management tool that offers a wide range of features, including agile tracking capabilities. It allows teams to plan and manage projects using Gantt charts, kanban-style boards, and other customizable templates.

One of Smartsheet’s unique features is its automated workflows, which can be used to streamline processes such as task assignments and approvals. This feature saves time and promotes efficient task completion.

Smartsheet also offers agile reporting features such as burndown charts and sprint tracking, providing teams with valuable insights into their progress.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 3.5/5

Developer ease of use: 3.5/5

Agile features list:

• Kanban boards
• Gantt charts
• Automated workflows
• Agile templates for sprint planning and tracking

Wrike

Wrike is a project management tool that offers agile capabilities through its customizable Kanban boards and Agile reporting features. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for teams to track progress and collaborate on tasks.

One of Wrike’s standout features is its workload view, which allows teams to see the distribution of tasks among team members and make adjustments if needed. This feature promotes balanced workloads and ensures efficient task completion.

Wrike isn’t just a tool for software teams – it’s most popular among non-technical teams like marketing, so it is a good option for those of you working cross-functionally. 

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 3.5/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 4/5

Developer ease of use: 3.5/5

Agile features list:

• Customizable kanban boards
• Workload view
• Burndown charts and velocity tracking
• Agile templates for sprint planning and tracking Endless integrations (including but not limited to Slack, Google Drive, etc.)

Monday.com

Monday.com is a popular project management tool that offers agile capabilities through its customizable templates and intuitive interface. Its visual boards allow teams to track real-time progress and collaborate on tasks efficiently.

One of Monday.com’s standout features is its time tracking feature, which allows team members to log their time spent on specific tasks. This feature promotes transparency and helps identify any potential roadblocks or inefficiencies.

Monday.com also offers agile reporting features such as burndown charts and velocity tracking, providing teams with valuable insights into their progress and performance.

The rundown:

Ability to facilitate agile: 4/5

Onboarding and ease-of-use: 4.5/5

Developer ease of use: 3.5/5

Agile features list:

• Customizable templates for agile workflows
• Gaant charts
• Burndown charts and velocity tracking

Don’t make agile work for tools. Make tools work for agile…

Ultimately, the effectiveness of any project management tool depends on how well it aligns with your team’s processes and workflow. While some tools may offer more advanced features, it’s essential to choose one that is intuitive and easy for your team to use while catering to agile needs.

Remember, it’s not about finding the perfect tool but making it work for your agile practices and promoting efficient collaboration within your team. So feel free to experiment with different tools and find the one that best fits your team’s needs.

If you’d like to try Zenhub, we’ve got a 14-day free trial here just for you.